Under Section 186a of the Fisheries Act 1996, the Oceans and Fisheries Minister can temporarily close fishing areas or restrict fishing methods to protect the customary fishing rights of tangata whenua.

“Alongside the Section 186a closure process, Ngāti Manuhiri will also be placing a rāhui over the same area,” she said.

A rāhui is a traditional Māori practice that places a temporary restriction on an area to allow species and ecosystems to rest and regenerate.

“Together they bring the strength of both cultural practice and government regulation.

“This is why it is important that we all work together – iwi, agencies, and the wider community – to uphold the rāhui and the closure, so that our moana and taonga species have a chance to recover,” MacDonald said.

In February, Army Bay resident Mark Lenton told the Herald the Whangaparāoa Peninsula has become a place for groups to take as much as they can find.

He said in the 1970s, residents could gather as many cockles as they wanted within a few minutes.

“Nowadays, you go down there and there are hundreds of people taking anything they can find.

“The cockles are no bigger than your thumbnail.”

MacDonald said the trust was seeking a closure of the entire eastern coastline of the Rodney Local Board Area and Hibiscus and Bays Local Board Area.

“Once our application is lodged, it is for the minister to consider and approve. We are seeking the maximum closure period of two years, though the final decision rests with the minister,” she said.

Enforcement will be the responsibility of Fisheries New Zealand and its authorised officers.

She said members of the public can contribute by applying to become “honorary fisheries officers”.

“At the same time, our kaitiaki and volunteers will be focusing on education and awareness – working with the community to build understanding and support for the closure.”

MacDonald said a Section 186a closure could apply to certain species or methods.

“In our case, we are seeking a closure that prohibits the collection of all taonga species from the intertidal zone for the maximum period allowed.”

Lenton told the Herald the potential ban was a “step in the right direction”.

“I’m feeling like efforts have been worthwhile and at last we’re going to see some positive change.”

Albany Ward councillor John Watson told the Herald community members were pleased the issue would hopefully be solved.

“The notion that something could be done in a timely fashion has brought a ray of hope to what was looking like an already bleak situation,” he said.

Fisheries New Zealand fisheries management director Emma Taylor told the Herald it was aware the Ngāti Manuhiri Trust is considering applying for a temporary closure for part of the Whangaparāoa coastline.

“We have not yet received an application,” she said.

“Once an application is received, it would go through the usual statutory processes, including public consultation.

“This feedback helps inform advice to the Minister for Oceans and Fisheries for his consideration.”

David Williams is an Auckland-based Multimedia Journalist who joined the Herald in 2023. He covers breaking news and general topics.